ST. MARK’S, NOTTING-HILL.—Since our first article on this church we have availed ourselves of a second visit. The Rev. E. K. Kendall, the vicar, of whose usual ministry we had heard very favourable accounts, preached the sermon. Being the first Sunday after Epiphany, the rev. gentleman took his text from Luke ii. and 51st, “And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.” The preacher had on the previous day discoursed on the visit of the Magi to the infant Saviour, and remarked upon the _humility_ of these learned men in the presence of the Babe of Bethlehem. He now passed to the still greater example of humility, presented in the life and conduct of the Redeemer himself, who dwelt at Nazareth in humble subjection to his parents, and visibly grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. His mother, the lowliest of saints, might well think of these things, and wonder at the strange dealings of Providence which led her to exaltation by such a way of humility. The present season was full of the same teaching—viz., that “Before honour is humility.” There was not only the lowly mother called “Blessed” because the Most High had done great things for her; not only the humble wise men, laying aside the pride of human learning before the great mystery of Godliness, but there was the still more wonderful abasement of Him who is the Son of God, but still emptied himself of his glory and took on him the form of a servant, made in the likeness of man, and prepared for his Divine work by the life of simple obedience in the carpenter’s home in despised Nazareth. Strange it may seem to us—strange in this nineteenth century, that humility should be thus set before us as pre-eminently a Christian grace, and that the title and admission to the blessings of the Christian covenant should be still declared, “Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven.” “Be ye clothed with humility.” The saints in all ages had learned as a first lesson on entering the Divine Presence, that the only seemly attitude of a sinner is one of self-abasement. He would not have them to think that the religion of Christ was one suitable only for a world in its infancy and not in its manhood, as some in their pride taught; and therefore he would enforce the absolute necessity of all being clothed in the same humble garment. The language of Scripture was undeniable in its inculcation of a teachable and childlike spirit. The Old Testament was as clear upon this point as the New, both alike insisting on the duty of obedience not only in a child, but in a man, and this not only to the ordinance and revelation of God, but even for the Lord’s sake to the ordinance of man. Ambition as such was in every one condemned. It is the duty of man to use and not abuse the powers and gifts which come from God; and if he thus becomes great as the world reckons greatness, it is only because God has given him the power, and the responsibility of using that power well. But those who measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves among themselves were not wise. Christianity may be summed up in three words, Repentance, Faith, Obedience, and each of those implies that the man is humble—humble for his own faults, which abase him in dust and ashes; humble as to his own understanding, submitting to believe that which he cannot see; humble as to his own judgment—even in practical matters content to obey rather than behave as may best suit his own notions or convenience. Was it not so, that this humility many would consider somewhat out of date. True a man of extreme self-assertion was apt to wound the pride of his neighbours, and so come to be despised, especially if his pretence were without solid qualities to back it.